Tiarella plant named ‘Appalachian Trail’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Tiarella  plant characterized by medium large ovate leaves with prominent black splatter markings, medium large ovate leaves with prominent black splatter markings, excellent vigor, and an excellent trailing habit.

Botanical denomination: Tiarella spp.

Variety designation: ‘Appalachian Trail’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of a hardy herbaceous perennial of the genus Tiarella, and known by the cultivar name ‘Appalachian Trail’. The genus Tiarella is a member of the family Saxifragaceae.

The new cultivar originated from a planned breeding program as a cross between Tiarella ‘Running Tapestry’, an unpatented plant, as the seed parent and massed proprietary trailing Tiarella as the pollen parent. The exact pollen parent is unknown. Compared to the seed parent, Tiarella ‘Running Tapestry’, the new cultivar is more trailing and better marked. Compared to Tiarella ‘Delaware’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,980, the new cultivar is better marked and better trailing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This plant is characterized by the following:

-   -   1. medium large ovate leaves with prominent black splatter         markings;     -   2. an excellent trailing habit; and     -   3. excellent vigor.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and micropropagation). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and micropropagation using standard techniques with terminal and lateral shoots as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the foliage and flowers of a 6 month old Tiarella ‘Appalachian Trail’ grown in a 4″ pot in a cool greenhouse in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a 10 month old plant grown in a 10″ container.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Tiarella cultivar based on observations of one-year-old plants grown together in one gallon containers in a cool greenhouse in March in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to an average low of 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:     -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 4 to 9.         -   Form.—Trailing.         -   Size.—65 cm wide and 8.5 cm high from the soil to the top of             the foliage.         -   Vigor.—Excellent.         -   Roots.—Fibrous, freely branching, fine, and white in color;             roots develop easily from stem cuttings. -   Stem:     -   -   Type.—Decumbent with adventitious roots at the nodes.         -   Size.—Grows to 2 mm wide and 47 cm long. -   Surface.—Pubescent.     -   -   Internodes.—2 cm to 8 cm long.         -   Color.—Yellow Green 148B in low light and Brown 200D in high             light. -   Basal leaves:     -   -   Type.—Simple.         -   Arrangement.—Rosette.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Lobing.—Variable, 3 to 7 shallow lobes, terminal lobe the             longest.         -   Margins.—Crenate.         -   Venation.—Palmate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate, overlapping.         -   Blade.—Grows to 8 cm long and 7 cm wide.         -   Surface.—Hispid top and bottom, matte.         -   Petiole description.—5 to 10 cm and 1.5 mm wide, hirsute,             Yellow Green 148B in low light and Brown 200D in high light.         -   Leaf color.—Topside, Green 137A with a dark splatter pattern             along the veins, Greyed Purple 187A darkening to N186A on             older leaves; bottom side Yellow Green 147C with markings             Greyed Purple N187A. -   Stem leaves:     -   -   Type.—Simple.         -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Lobing.—Variable, 0 to 3 very shallow lobes.         -   Margins.—Crenate.         -   Venation.—Palmate.         -   Apex.—Mucronulate.         -   Base.—Cordate, sometimes overlapping.         -   Blade.—Grows to 4 cm long and 3.2 cm wide.         -   Surface.—Hispid top and bottom, matte.         -   Petiole description.—1.5 to 3 cm long and 1.5 mm wide,             hirsute, Yellow Green 148B in low light and Brown 200D in             high light.         -   Leaf color.—Topside, Green 137A with a slight dark splatter             pattern along the veins, Greyed Purple 187A darkening to             N187A on older leaves topside, Green 137A with a dark             splatter pattern along the veins, Greyed Purple 187A             darkening to N186A on older leaves; bottom side Yellow Green             147C with markings Greyed Purple N187A. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Raceme.         -   Flower number.—30 to 45 per raceme.         -   Size of inflorescences.—Grows to 8.5 cm long and 2.5 cm             wide.         -   Number of inflorescences.—3 to 8 in first spring flush.         -   Bloom period.—March to mid June in Canby, Oreg.         -   Peduncle.—Unbranched, grows to 27 cm long and 2.5 mm wide at             the base, hispid, Yellow Green 146B.         -   Pedicel.—8 mm long, hispid, Yellow Green 147C.         -   Lastingness.—A raceme blooms for about 3 weeks. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—3 mm deep and 2.5 mm wide.         -   Description.—Ovoid, down facing until open.         -   Surface.—Glandular.         -   Color.—White N155C. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—Perfect, actinomorphic, sepals petaloid.         -   Shape.—Rotate.         -   Flower size.—8 mm wide and 5 mm deep including stamens and             pistil.         -   Corolla.—5 petals, each 3 mm long and 1 mm wide, lanceolate             with a clawed base, margin entire, tip acuminate, glabrous             on both sides, White NN155C inside and outside.         -   Calyx.—8 mm wide, 5 sepals, backs glandular, inside             glabrous, petaloid, parted almost to the base; lobes             obovate, tips obtuse, margins entire, 3 mm long and 1.5 mm             wide, White NN155C with tips Yellow Green 147C inside and             out.         -   Stamens.—10, conspicuously exerted; filaments 4 mm long,             White NN155D; anthers undehisced Red 39B; pollen Orange Red             32A.         -   Pistil.—1, White 155C, 5 mm long, ovary 2 mm long,             glandular.         -   Fragrance.—None. -   Fruit and seed: 6 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, Yellow Green 146C with     little seed set; seed Brown 200A, oval, 1.5 mm long. -   Pest and disease resistance: This new hybrid shows good mildew     tolerance, the main problem for Tiarella. No major pest problems. It     is susceptible to root weevils, like all Tiarella. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Tiarella plant herein illustrated and described. 